Toyota Australia plays key role in seizure of some 33,000 counterfeit parts in China

TOYOTA Australia has mobilised connections in Japan and China in order to arrange the apprehension of a manufacturer of counterfeit spare parts in China.

The Chinese police found around 33,000 fake Toyota car parts when they raided a factory in Guangzhou City in the south-east of China.

The parts had a retail value of more than $1 million and included components like filters, cables, seals and also safety-critical items including airbags, brake master cylinders and brake pads.

Toyota Australia unearthed the details of the supply chain behind the fake parts during its successful Federal Court case last year against two local retailers who were selling counterfeit airbag components.

The two retailers had been selling counterfeit spiral airbag cables as genuine parts. The legal action was based on trademark infringement and misleading and deceptive conduct.

As part of the settlement, the two retailers had to alert all the people who had bought parts from them that the parts were not genuine, but Toyota was able to learn details about how the parts were manufactured and came to Australia.

That information led to the latest action.

Toyota Australia then passed on the information about the source manufacturer to Toyota headquarters in Japan, which co-ordinated the action against the manufacturer with its Chinese subsidiary.

Apart from the 33,000 parts, the Chinese police also found 55,000 packages all carrying the brand Toyota Genuine Parts and printed with barcodes and serial numbers.

Left: Counterfeit filters seized in a raid conducted by Chinese police in Guangzhou City.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said all the local manufacturers had been subjected to fake parts scams.